Single Idea 17954

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 4. Powers as Essence]

Full Idea

Essence is, as it were, necessity rooted in things, ...but how about possibility rooted in things? ...Having the potential to Φ, unlike being essentially Φ, does not entail being actually Φ.

Gist of Idea

Essence is a thing's necessities, but what about its possibilities (which may not be realised)?

Source

Barbara Vetter (Essence and Potentiality [2010], §2)


A Reaction

To me this invites the question 'what is it about the entity which endows it with its rooted possibilities?' A thing has possibilities because it has a certain nature (at a given time).